The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-01-21
THE TAXING SYSTEM OF MARYLAND
Action OF the State Farmers Conyen-
ton.

ED. lEGIs: As your paper is the only paper ia
this county which has sympathized with the
movement made 10y me in the Senate in 1884 &c
have justice done to the farmers of Maryland in
the matter of taxation. | do not hesitate to say
that yours is the only paper that the farmers
ought to patronze and support for the wrong is
so fragrant and outrageous that there can be nc
honest excuse for any newspaper that does not
earnestly and actively advocate an immediate
and thorough change IF the law.
The Farmers Association had meeting in Bal
timore some time before this last meeting-per-
haps year or two ago-and 1t then appointed
committees on various subjects of interest to
report at this meeting of the Association. The
greater number of them did not report. The
committee on taxation, of which Hon. Henry w
Archer was chairman did not report. In order
to bring the subject oil taxation before the body
| offered the following
The farmers of the State of Maryland, In con-
venton assembled, to devise means whereby their
interests may be promoted and their rights assert
of taxation in this State. in direct violation of
their rights and Of the constitution Of the State
which declares that the citizens of this State shall
be taxed in proportion to their actual worth in
real and personal property therefore
"ReSoired, That we will not vote for any candi-
date for the Legislature OF this State, nor for
member of a constitutional convention, who
will not pledge himself TO vote for and endeaver
to secure an annual listing of the property in this
State, as is done in every other State of the
American Union, the existing system taxing
every addition to the farmers stock annually,
while the gains of the merchant, the manufactur-
er and the banker escape taxation entirely in all
the years between the decennial assessments, be-
ing wrong and an oppression which we are de-
termined to abate and to overthrow.
"ResOiUed, That we demand and will endeayor to
secure such legislation AS will enforce practical
compliance with the Constitution of the State,
by having mortgages and other debts deducted
from the property assessed to individuals as the
basis of taxation, ensuring thereby that no man
shall be compelled to pay taxes on more than his
actual worth In real and personal property"
The President OF the convention, the great re-
former, Gov. Hamilton, referred these resolutions
Init,
would not report until after the election of the
Legislature. showing thereby that If his main OBJ
ject was not to reform himsel into the United
States Senate, II was not to do Justice to the tax
uayers of this state.
At the afternoon session mo- ed to have the
Resolutions on taxation withdrawn from the COM
mlttee on resolutions and that a committee on
taxation be appointed with instructions to report
the next day.
This motion was carried. and the committee on
taxation was appointed and directed to report
the next day, at eleven o'clock. was made a
member OF 1t, and 1t met at my room In Barnum's
Hotel.
adopted report, which was made up, first of my
preamble, and secondly of this resolution :-
BE IL ReSOtUed, That we demand from the
General Assembly such revision of the existing
tax laws of the State as will secure fair and inst
system of taxation to all the people of this State
and we pledge ourselves to use all proper and
legitimate means to secure this end "
This sounds well enough, but such action NAV
well be compared to the course of body of men
who looked on while a great fire ragged, and who
passed RESOLUTIONS pleuRlnR themselves to all
proper and legitimate means to put IT out but
who refused to pledge themselves to throw water
omit
they pledge themselves to use all proper and
legitimate means TO secure equalization of taxa
ton. yet they refused to require pledges from
candidates for the Legislature, who alone could
change the unjust tax law, that they would
change them.
by this action they pronounce unjust and ille-
Ultimate such means of securing legislation as
requiring candidates to pledge themselves that
that they Will carry out the will of their constiu.
ants, If they are elected.
call especial attention to the speech of Mr..
Jas. U. Dennis in the Farmers Convention on
the tax question. This Mr.. Dennis Is an honora-
BILE gentleman, who justly stands high In this
that he made the speech he did in the Farmers
Convention on the very next day after he cleo
tIifed the State by his speech as President of the
great reform meeting in Baltimore.
In the course of his speech to the farmers in
opposition TO my resolutions on taxation he ask
terra frmd-something storms cannot sweep
away,'-thus taking the position that mortgages
are not property, which Is absurd, and then he
went on to say that 1.-THE exaction of pledge is
question. which will be fatal 70 u.s."
Every one OF these great refOrmers was opposed
to these tax resolutions in the Farmers COnyen-
ton, and did all they could TO defeat them Now,
as q Democratic LEGISLATURE of 1884 was largely
in favor of the bill introduced there to do JUS
present Governor voted for it-every one of your
delegates from this county voted for IL, and IL
would have become the law of the State but for
what believe was the treachery of one member,
pose the direct way by which your rights may
be secured in regard to taxation, your plain inter
est Is to vote with the regular Democratic organi-
zation as intend to do myself, because 1t is the